Shoutout to the guy who told me to use a shop vac with a reducer on the flue

Had a job last Tuesday in Portland where the homeowner's insert was packed solid with creosote chunks. Couldn't get a standard vac hose in without knocking crap down into the firebox. Tried a few things, then remembered some old timer on here said to duct tape a 2 inch PVC reducer onto my 2.5 inch shop vac hose. Worked perfect. Sucked all the loose stuff right out without making a mess. Anyone else got weird vacuum hacks for tight flues?

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caseys304mo ago

Had a buddy try this same trick on a tight chimney in Salem last winter. Worked like a charm until the reducer popped off and shot across the yard like a rocket. He just laughed and duct taped it twice as tight the second time.

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claire644mo ago

Funny how stuff like that works out. Seems like half my life is figuring out that the first fix was just practice for the real fix. Always gotta double down the tape or the zip ties after something shoots off.

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